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Election date set for open House seats

Rep. Regina Quick, R-Athens, speaks during a political luncheon at Athens Country Club in January 2015. (File/Staff)

Rep. Chuck Williams, R-Watkinsville, speaks during a political luncheon at the Athens Country Club in January 2015. (File/Staff)

Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp has set a Nov. 7 date to fill the unexpired terms of state Reps. Regina Quick and Chuck Williams.

Several candidates have announced their intention to run for the seats, but they’ll have to make it official during a qualifying period from Sept. 11 through Sept. 13.

If a runoff is needed in either race, that will be Dec. 5. Unlike the usual legislative elections, there won’t be party primaries, so all the candidates who qualify will be on the same ballot Nov. 7.

Oct. 10 is the last day for voters to register to vote in the special election, and advance voting is scheduled to begin Oct. 16.

Both Quick’s District 117 and Williams’ District 119 include parts of Clarke and Oconee counties. The 117th also includes portions of Jackson and Barrow counties. Both are Republicans.

Quick, a Republican from Athens, stepped down to accept Gov. Nathan Deal’s appointment as a Western Circuit superior court judge to fill the unexpired term of David Sweat. That judgeship will be on the ballot next year, and whoever wins this November’s special election will also face another election in 2018.

Williams, a Republican from Watkinsville, resigned from the state Legislature to become executive director of the Georgia Forestry Commission.

Candidates who have thus far announced runs to replace Williams include Steven Strickland, Marcus Wiedower and Tom Lord, all of Oconee County. Lord and Wiedower are Republicans. Strickland said he intends to wait until qualifying before announcing his party affiliation.

The candidates for Quick’s seat include Doug McKillip, who had held the seat before Quick; Houston Gaines and Deborah Gonzalez. McKillip and Gaines are running as Republicans and Gonzalez as a Democrat. Gaines and Gonzales live in Athens. McKillip resides in Watkinsville.